1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a construction block and accessories, and more particularly, to a construction block system that can be readily aligned during installation with predictable dimensions for the resulting structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many designs for construction blocks have been designed in the past. None of them, however, includes external longitudinal slanted walls extending horizontally and vertically that avoid the creation of spaces between abutting blocks yet provide grooves or spaces for receiving cement. The conventional block is separated by the cement that is typically used between blocks. And these separations are also responsible for unpredictable overall dimensions of the resulting wall structures. These separations add up and result in misalignment.
Once the invention""s blocks are abuttingly positioned, they form a wall. The user incorporates the cementitious compound to the grooves without any additional adjustment.
Applicant believes that a related reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 900,753 issued to A. G. Mahler on Oct. 13, 1908 for a building block. Mahler""s block includes end walls with vertically disposed ribs and bosses with tapered side edges on one of the horizontal faces. The outer faces of the ribs form a bonding space between ribs and bosses to receive concrete to bond adjacent horizontal rows. The end walls between ribs and bosses are flat and depressed. However, separations are still formed between abutting blocks.
Applicant believes that another related reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,067 issued to Tim Allen Bott on Jul. 4, 2000 for dry stackable block structures. Bott""s stackable block structure system for dry stacking concrete reinforced walls, includes a stretcher block with a recess of triangular cross-section on the bottom surface and disposed intermediate a pair of co-planar, parallelly disposed laterally extending rectangular edge portions. The top surface of the block includes a flat portion in the center and two edge portions forming upwardly converging surfaces of truncated triangular cross-section. Again, separations occur between abutting blocks when cement is applied.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,958 issued to Gine P. N. Caroti on Sep. 18, 1990 for autofitting building blocks and bricks. Caroti""s building block has a plurality of dihedral projections on the top surface, which mate with a plurality of dihedral recessions on the bottom surface. The bottom surface includes one more recession than the top surface so that a channel is formed between two stacked bricks. Caroti places the grooves in the end walls to form vertical channels. The separations between abutting blocks are also created when cement is applied.
These patented blocks differ from the present invention because they do not include external horizontal edge cutouts to receive the cement. This avoids the creation of separations between abutting blocks that contribute to misalignment while still receiving an effective amount of cement in the grooves to keep the blocks together. Also, the present invention includes the use of block accessories, such as the base alignment tool and row leveling tool, that permit a user to keep a wall structure aligned throughout its construction. These features are not suggested in these references.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.
It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a construction block system that allows a user to align and level contiguous blocks without separation in-between to form wall structures.
It is another object of this invention to provide a block that includes external longitudinal edge cutouts for receiving cement without creating a separation between abutting blocks.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a block system that allow a user to readily build wall structures with a consequent saving of time.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a block system that can be readily assembled and disassembled without requiring specialized tools or substantial previous training or experience.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a block system that is inexpensive to manufacture and use and maintain while retaining its effectiveness.
Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.